Aeronautical apparatus



Oct. 3, 1933. R. T. ANDERSON AERONAUTICAL APPARATUS original Filed Feb. 25, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 1 \\M Y gmmo: H'EEMNDPITNDEREN Oct. 3, 1933.

R. T. ANDERSON AERONAUTICAL APPARATUS Original Filed Feb. 25 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R115 EMUNDTQANDERWN Patented Oct. 3, 1933 AEBONAUTICAL APPARATUS Rosemond T. Anderson, Huntington, W. Va., al-

signor oi' forty one-hundredths to Justus Collins, Charleston, W. Va.

Application February 25, 1932. Serial No. 431,302 Renewed February 20, 1933 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to improvements in apparatus destined for enabling and facilitating air travel, and has as its primary object the taking advantage of principles of air reaction on an air- 3 oil.

A more detailed object is the securing of maximum lift, thrust or pull incident to reaction on air or like elastic fluid by the exercise of minimum power in a minimum encompassed space.

With these and other objects in view as will in part hereinafter become apparent and in part be stated, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and larrangements of parts as will be subsequently specified and l5 claimed, whereby the compactness made possible by a rotary member is depended upon to provide the reactance of numerous airfoils affording in the multiple.the capacity of a single airfoil of much more greatly enlarged dimensions. The invention also comprises certain combinations including a shield sector cooperating with a rotor for maintaining maximum unbalanced pressure in the direction of travel of the complete apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings,- n

Figure l is a vertical section taken transversely of the axis of an apparatus embodying. the features of the present invention, the section being .taken approximately on the plane indicated by line 1-1 of Figure 2, parts being seen in elevation and parts being broken away for the saving of space.

Figure 2 is a section taken on `the planes indicated approximately by llne 2-2 of Figure 1, parts being seen in elevation.

Figure 3 is a detailed cross section through the rotor and shield sector, thelatter being slightly modified, and the section being taken on the plane indicated by line 3-3 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a section through the parts seen in Figure 3, the section being substantially on the plane of the section of Figure 1 illustrating the modified embodiment of shield sector.

l While the phenomena manifested by embodiments of the present invention may be due to causes and effects, numerous details of lwhich are possibly overlooked which might modify principles of operation, the hypothesis accepted by me and believed to belcorrect will be stated in the comparison of the action of the preferred em'- bodiment of the apparatus with the action of an airfoil, the most commonly and widely known of which may be taken to be the wing of a heavierthan-air plane, it is to be understood that the improved structures and combinations are expresslve of my invention whether or not I am correct in the theory of their operation.

It is known, of course, that the blunter the leading edge of an aeroplane wing and the greater the resulting camber, the greater will' be the re- 60 sistance to advance and the greater will be the lifting power of the plane, and incident to which is the greater production of a pressure vacuum along the trailing edge. The slotted wing produced by F. Handley Page materially reduced the stalling speed or at given speed increased the lifting power due to the relative position of the main and auxiliary wings, conclusively establishing that the variation of the camber varies the load-carrying capacity of the airfoil, and this has been further demonstrated by varying the camber incident to hinging movement of the trailing edge portion of the wing. A combination of the slotted. leading edge and hinged trailing edge gives maxlmum lift and both of these principles of construc` 75 tion may be incorporated in an apparatus 'expressing the present invention.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a housing having a freely open discharge side or end 2. Thesaid open side or end may be referred to as the lower'or downward end, since the apparatus is well adapted for direct lifting and is intended to obviate the necessity for and to take the place of wings on aircraft, but it will become apparent that the apparatus is splendidly 815y adapted for horizontal pull, in which instance the downward opening 2 would be rearward relative to the line of travel, and, of course, ywhere the apparatus is used for steering, the opening 2 would still be rearward of the line of travel of the power apparatus itself but laterally of the aircraft in or on which it ismounted.

Housing 1 is open laterally at 3, 3, to enable free intake of air to the interior of the rotor designated generally by the reference character A, and

made up of spaced annuli 4, 4, connected by vanes 5, 5, and carried by appropriate spiders 6, 6. The spiders 6 have their hub portions preferably detachably fixed to hubs "7, 7. One of the hubs 7 is carried by power shaft 8,7which receives power from any appropriate source, not illustrated, and which is journaled, at 9, in a hub portion 10 of a spider 11 forming part of the housing l, and extending across the respective opening 3. The opposite opening 3 has a like housing spider 12 pro- 105 vided with the hub portion 13 in which is journaled, at 14, the opposite hub 7. Extending through the last-named hub 7 is a shaft 15, which is journaled, at 16, 16, in the hubs 7, so as to allow frei# rotation of said hubs while the shaft 15 110 remains stationary, and also to allow independent relative movement of shaft 15.

Each vane 5 functions as an airfoil, and is set to as nearly as may be approximate the action corresponding to travel on a rectilinear path through air. While the leading edge of each vane 5 is illustrated-as flat, because of the advantageous bearing contact enabled thereby with the shield .sector or cutoff hereinafter. to be described, it

should be understood that each airfoil 5 may be rounded at its leading edge or otherwise formed both at its leading and at its trailing edge to simulate an aeroplane wing having maximum lifting capacity, so as to insure air discharge under conditions creating pressure vacuum in the angle between the trailing edge and the line of discharging blast.

A shield sector or cuton 17 is arranged inside the rotor A with its surface suiilfiently contiguous to the leading edges-of the vanes 5 and to the end annuli 4 as to effect substantially an air seal therebetween. For the sake of effective and clear showing, the clearance space between the parts has been exaggerated in the drawings, but it will be understood that no greater space will exist between the peripheral portion of the shield sector 17 and the leading edges of vanes 5 and between.

the end portions of shield sector 17 and the sides of annuli 4 than can be maintained filled by lubricant so as to insure an effective air seal at all these places. "I'he shield sector 17 consists essentially of an arcuate plate, which may be materially varied in length according to variations in functions desired, but preferably is at least of.

sufllcient length to extend over 180, and the plate is connected by radial spokes 18, 18 to the shaft 15, each of said spokes being preferably formed integral with corresponding hub portions 19, 19 splined or otherwise fixed to move with and be retained by shaft 15 in any given position.

While lubrication may be effected in any of numerous well known ways, one method consists of providing a passage 20 longitudinally in shaft 15, communicating through lateral ports 21, 21 with passages 22, 22 in certain of the spokes 18, which passages 22 communicate at their outer ends with surface grooves 23 in the exterior-periphery of shield sector 17, whereby oil or other appropriate lubricant forced through passage 20, ports 21, and passages 22, will be distributed laterally and provide a line of lubrication at the place of approach of the successive varies 5, and being engaged by the vanes will be distributed across the surface of the shield sector 17, so that all sealed portions of said surface will be constantly lubricated and friction eliminated under operating conditions. Obviously, other modes of reducing and eliminating friction may be employed as desired, but care must be exercised to insure against friction owing to the high speed at which the rotor operates.

The shaft 15 extends beyond the hub 13 and is engaged by any appropriate operating mechanism, power device, or control apparatus, one form of which is seen in the drawings to consist of a worm gear 24 splined or otherwise appropriately ilxed to shaft 15 and meshing withv a worm 25 carried by shaft 26 journaled in brackets 27 fixed to'the housing 1, as to hub 13, or any other appropriatepart of the housing. Shaft 26 may be driven or operated in any desired manner, as by being actuated by a hand wheel 28.

Thus, the shield sector 17 will, during operation, normally remain stationary, while the rotor A revolves, but the shield sector may at any time be adjusted angularly as required or ddesired for varying the action of the apparatus. For example, when the parts are in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, rotation of i'otor A en'ects an unbalanced pressure in an upward direction incident to the downward discharge of air from the rotor through the opening 2 while the' upper half of the rotor is sealed by shield sector 17 against such discharge, so that there is no counterbalancing upward discharge. Not only is the reactive stress unbalanced by this unbalanced downward discharge, but the upward stress is augmented by virtue of the fact that the centrifugal discharge of air from the pockets represented by the space between vanes sealed at the bottom by shield sector 17 causes the maintenance of a vacuum at the bottom of said pockets and thereby further unbalances air pressures and effects a further upward or driving force against the under face of the arcuate plate of shield sector 17. While housing 1 is not an absolute, necessary element of construction further than a simple frame 'supporting the cooperating parts, the said housing does assist in preventing lateral losses and conveying some of the lateral discharge into vertical downward discharge having a resultant upward reaction, but, care should be exercised to construct the hood portion of the housing above the rotor A sufficiently spaced from the rotor to largely avoid the reactive resistance of compaction against the centrifugally outthrown air.

It will be observed, of course, that, when the shield sector 17 is in the position seen in Figures l and 2 of the drawings, the action of the vanes as airfoils for that .sector of the rotor A between the horizontal plane of the lower edges of shield sector 17 and a vertical plane intersecting the axis of rotation will be substantially counterbalanced by the action of the next similar sector of the rotor, but the loss is largely, if not entirely, compensated in the vacuum action of the pockets above the shield sector 17.

Another`method of use of the apparatus disclosed, wherein advantage is taken of the action of the vanes as an airfoil andfull expression is allowed of the upward stress incident to the creation of the vacuum acting on the surface of the airfoil, consists in shifting the shield sector 17 ninety degrees to the right from the position seen in Figure 1, so that the left half instead of the lower half of the rotor will be exposed for free and direct discharge of air, and in that case a substantial increase in the clearance of housing 1 about the rotor should `be provided. In that case also the lateral pull of the air-exhausted pockets will be such that the upper sector will counterbalance the lower sector so far as vertical stresses are concerned, and a lateral stress alone will result. For this reason, the position of the parts seen in Figure 1 is preferred when the apparatus is used for lifting purposes only.

It will be observed that the apparatus disclosed is well adapted not only for lifting, but for driving power and for control, and the apparatus will be mounted in or on the aircraft according to the use to which it is to be put, and may be located either vertically or horizontally, and will be preferably swiveled when use is to be in the nature of steering.

The structure is, of course, susceptible of a wide range of modification in details, one such modification being illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 in which the rotor A is guarded and controlled, in its action by a shield sector 17. The outer periphery of shield sector 17' is formed with a groove 17" intercommunicating all of the pockets between vanes 5 subsequent to the pocket of first approach. The shield sector 1'7 is provided with a surface portion 17a at the place of approach of the vanes 5' in the course of rotation of rotor A of a width equal to or preferably slightly greater than the space between the leading edges of adjacent vanes 5 so as to completely break the intake of air from the interior of the rotor before any pocket between'two vanes reaches communication with the groove 17". When such communication is reached, the vacuum in the several pockets above the sector 17 will be immediately equalized so that the upwardly exerted pressure incident to such vacuum will be maintained substantially uniform throughout the length of the shield sector 17.

It will be understood, of c ourse, that in the start ing of the operation, movement of the rotor A whether of the form seen in Figure 1 or of the form seen in Figure 4 causes downward discharge of air and'results in lateral intake, and the reactive force of such downward discharge plus the unbalanced force incident to vacuum above the shield sector 17 eiects a substantial lifting pressure. The angular change in path of travel of the air and the friction of the air are but negligible factors.

By unbalancing the stresses in the manner indicated above, the present improved apparatus is enabled to lift heavier-than-air craft with a direct upward rise or to move the same in any direction, the present improved apparatus being characterized by its capacity for adjustment and control for quick take-off and descent, for aircushion breaking, for steerage, and for maximum emciency with a given utilization of power. The apparatus is well adapted to comprise a suspension unit for enabling hovering or as a thrust or pull unit, and its applicability and adaptation for uses in aircraft. watercraft, and other vehicles is almost limitless.

It will, of course, be understood that advantage will be taken of well known forms of slip joints and other detailsin the construction of the apparatus, and numerous modifications may be employed in lubricant distribution to obviate friction. In addition to the distribution of oil through the ports 22 and grooves 23, lubricant may also be supplied through ports 29, 29, from the axial-port 20 to the lapping-sides of the annuli 4 relative to the edges of the sector shield 17, and any other appropriate means of avoidance of friction may or will be used as circumstances and conditions may indicate as desirable.

What is claimed isz- 1. In unbalanced pressure creating apparatus, the combination of a rotor having airfoils for substantially radial ejection of air. and a shield for guarding a sector of the rotor against such discharge, the shield being located at that side of the rotor in the direction toward which the reactive force of radial ejection is expressed.

2. In unbalanced pressure creating apparatus, the combination of a rotor having airfoils for substantially radial ejection of air, a shield for guarding a sector of the rotor against such discharge, and means for delivering the unbalanced pressure of said parts as-a unit stress.

l3. In-unbalanced pressurercreating apparatus, the combination oi' a rotor having means of substantially radial ejection of air, a shield within the rotor for guarding a sector of the rotor against such discharge, and means for adjusting the shield angularly relative to the rotor.

4. In unbalanced pressure creating apparatus, the combination of a rotor having means of substantially radial ejection of air, a shield for guarding a sector of the rrotor against such discharge, the shield being "disposed inward of the rotor. and means for adjusting the shield angularly relative to the rotor.

5. In unbalanced pressure creating apparatus, the combination of-a rotor having spaced vanes, and means for shutting of! intake to the space between the vanes duringa portion of the travel of the rotor for producing vacuum pockets.

6. In unbalanced pressure creating apparatus, the combination of a rotor having vanes for discharging air therefrom, and means for unbalancing the stress of discharge atdiiferent parts of the rotor to cause the reactance to be unitarily expressed, each of the vanes having an airfoil contour occasioning vacuum formation incident to movement of the rotor.

7. In unbalanced pressure creating apparatus,

the combination of a radially discharging rotor, a shield within the rotor for restricting a portion of the discharge therefrom, and means for adjusting the shield circumferentially of the rotor. l 8. In unbalanced pressure creating apparatus, the combination of a radially discharging rotor, a shield within the rotor for restricting a portion of the discharge therefrom, means for adiusting the shield circumferentially of the rotor, and means for locking the shield against movement in any adjusted position.

9. In unbalanced prossime-creating apparatus, the combination of a rotor having a plurality of spaced airfoils located to lap each other. and a shield within the rotor guarding a sector thereof.

4l0. In unbalanced preme-creating apparatus, the combination of a rotor having a relatively large number of relatively small vanes substantially uniformly spaced about the rotor, and a shield within the rotor guarding a sector thereof against radial air discharge.

\ ROSEMOND T. ANDERSON. 

